Carton



R. B. BECK CARTON 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 5, 1962 INVENTOR.

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5 O 729 .1 3 5268i W R. B. BECK Aug. 6, 1963 CARTON 2 Shceens-Sheerl 2 Filed Oct. 5, 1962 INVENTOR.

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ite States This invention relates to packaging containers assembled frorn at sleeves of paperboard or other sheet material and more particularly to packaging containers of the type which, in addition to serving as an immediate container, may also serve as a display carton or as a dispenser.

Heretofore many items which otherwise might have been packaged in nat-sided paperboard cartons instead have been packaged in more expensive containers of glass, plastic or metal because such materials readily adapt themselves to unusual -shaping treatments which give the container a distinct and :attractive appearance. Paperboard, which is the most economical material lfor packaging, has been largely ignored where appearance is a factor because paperboard cartons in most cases have not had imaginative treatment which would produce distinctive attractive containers.

One lof the objects of this invention fis the provision of containers Iformed from ilat sheets of fibrous material such as paperboard or non-fibrous material such as film or a combination of the two, which not only have a most attractive and distinct sloping appearance but which may be assembled readily from seamed flat sleeves.

Another object of the invention is the provision, in slopin-g containers formed from at sleeves, of skirted flip covers which remain closed until flipped open.

Still another yobject of the invention is the provision of sloping containers formed from at sleeves which are readily ad-apted to insertion and retention of platforms which may contain one or more dispensing :outlets for string, ribbons, coiled cotton and other sim-ilar material or for powders, granules and the like.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description and drawings wherein:

FIGURE l is an isometric view lof a typical container of the invention.

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional view of FIGURE l taken along the line 2-2 and viewed from the direction of the arrows showing the appearance -of the bottom of the container of FIGURE l lon the inside.

FIGURE 3 is a typical blank of a container of the invention but showing a more elaborate cover than that of FIGURE l and showing flaps adapted to retain a platform.

FIGURE 4 is a partial isometric View of the carton formed from a blank similar to that of FIGURE 3 but with minor variations showing the assembled cover with out away por-tions to reveal Ithe construction and also showing a Itypical platform in position.

FIGURE 5 is a cross-sectional view of the top portion of the carton of FIGURE 4 taken along the line 5--5 of FIGURE 4 but with the top closed and viewed in the direction of the arrows.

FIGURE 6 is a schematic inside view of the bottom of an alternate construction wherein the bases of the side panels are longer than those of the front and back panels.

FIGURE 7 is a schematic inside View of the bottom of an alternate construction wherein the bases lof the front and back panels -are longer than those of the side panels.

Some objections to paperboard cartons or cartons of other sheet materials have been that such cartons have been insubstantial, have been prosaically rectangular and have usually had either tucked-in tops `or glued tops and 3,100,074 Patented Aug. 6, 1963 ice bottoms. The flip-top cigarette box is a successful departure from the usual carton but the rectangular shape has been retained.

The cartons of this invention have unique shapes in that they have relatively larger square or rectangular bases with smaller rectangular or square tops, at least two of the main panels narrowing from base to top so `as to provide sloping sides. Preferably, where possible, the side edges of the top opening are folded edges because such folded edges provide strength yand present an attractive substantial appearance. The front edge of the top opening is also preferably folded inwardly except where it may be desirable to use :a narrow outwardly folded front edge to lock the top by wedging action rather than the slit 66. Likewise, the cover preferably has folded edges. The bottom preferably is of the snap ylock type illustrated since this type is very easily and quickly assembled and has a neat attractive outside appearance.

Referring once more to the drawings:

In FIGURE 3, main panels 11 and 13 constitute the side panels while main panels 12 and 14 constitute the back and front panels respectively. Each of the main panels is joined to a bottom panel by a scored fold line. 'Ilhns panel 111 is joined .to panel 15 `along line 41, panel 12 is joined lto panel 16 along .line 42, panel 13 is joined to panel 17 along line 43 and panel 14 is joined to panel 18 Ialong line 44. Front panel 14 is also joined by a scored fold Iline y40 to glneing or sealing flap 22 on one side, to panel 13 along fold 39 on the other side and to tab 21 along fold 48 at the top. Likewise, side panel 13 is joined by scored fold line 38 to back panel 12i and by scored line 47 to tab 20. Side panel 11 which has a cut edge 62 is joined by a scored fold line 37 to back panel 12 and by scored fold line 45 to tab 19. Back panel 12 is joined to the cover by scored fold line 46 which acts as the top hinge between the main top panel 26 and the back panel 12. Three typical covers `are shown. In FIGURE l, the simplest cover is devoid of panels 23, 36 and 29 shown in FIGURE 3. The panels of FIGURE 1 corresponding to panels 24, 28 and 35 in FIGURE 3 have cut edges whe-re the folded edges 50, 60 and 56 ap pear in FIGURE 3. Thus in FIGURE l, 35a corresponds to 35 and 24a corresponds to 24 in FIGURE 3. These inner panels of the cover skirt may be glued to the conresponding outer panels in FIGURE 1, but if panel 35a is fastened, it will [hold the others due to flaps 63, 30, 31, 33, 34 and 64. In FIGURE 3, however, panels 23, 36 and 29 hold the cover in place without glue by lmeans of their mitered corners which abut. The cover shown in FIG- URE 4 is very similar to that of the blank in FIGURE 3 except that panels 23 and 29 of the latter have a some'- what different cut in FIGURE 4 at the end nearest the hinge. 'I'his cut, shown in panel 23a of FIGURE 4, permits the tabs 19 and 20 of FIGURE 3 to be lengthened asin 19 b of FIGURE 4 so that the fold covers a :greater part of the opening edge similar to that of 19a of FIG- URE l.

Referring once more to the cover, in FIGURE 3 the main cover panel 26 is joined to skirt `outside panels 25, 32 and 27 by scored lines. In the case of FIGURES 3 and 4, these outside panels are joined to the corre-sponding skirt inside panels 24, 35 and 23 by scored fold lines 51, 55 and 59* shown in FIGURE 4 Aas the skirt folded edges. The skirt outside panels `25 and 27 are connected to the skirt front outside panel 32 by means of two triangular corner-fold panels on each side, panels 30 and 31 joining 25 and 32 yand panels 33 and 34 joining 27 and 32. Similar but individual triangular tabs, 63 at the end of panel 24 and 64 at the end of panel 281 serve as locking tabs. 'llhe relationship of corner tabs 30 and 31 and tab 63 to skirt outside front panel 32 and skirt inside front panel 35 is shown in FIGURE 4. These triangular tabs fit between panels 32 and 35. The tabs on the other side fit similarly. FIGURE 1 is simil-ar except that the skirt inside panels have cut edges which Ia-but the main cover panel 26. These panels in FIGURE 1 have been designated with the number followed Aby the letter a to distinguish them from similar panels of FIGURES 3 and 4 which have folded edges on both sides.

, 'I t is obvious with the triangular tabs in place between inside panel 35a of FIGURE l 4and its corresponding outside panel, that fastening these two panels together either with glue or a staple will hold the cover skirt in place. However, in the tops illustrated in FIGURES 3 and 4, the cover ski-rt is held in place by locking panels 231, 36 and 29 of FIGURE 3 due to the abutment of their 45 beveled ends. This can be seen in FIGURE 4 where the beveled end of panel 23a would :abut the beveled end of panel 36 both lying flat against cover panel 26.

It -may be desirable to cut off the tips of the cover skirt panels 23, 24, 25 and 2.7, 28 and 29 adjacent the cover hinge so that panels 19 vand 20 may be elongated, thus providing folded-edges along the entire top side edges of the container. Thus 19a in FIGURE l and 19h in FIG- URE 4 are substantially similar excepting for the tongue 82a on the l-atter. In order to provide the panel 19b in its indicated length, however, it is necessary to cut off not only the Itips of the skirt side panels as was done in FIGURE 1 but also lto modify the width of the nearest adjacent locking skirt panel of the cover blank as is indicated by 23a, FIGURE 4.

In the front panel of FIGURES 1, 3, 4 and 5 is a slit 66; There is a corresponding slit 65 or 65a in the skirt inside front panel. When the cover is pushed down to the point where the two slits pass one another, the slit edges tend to engage forming a retaining latch. When the front panel is pressed prior to :dipping the cover open, the latch is released. But even without such a latch, the cover tends to wedge` against theV inclined sides of the container proper in closing thus being retained by the sides after closure. Alternatively, the front edge of the opening, instead of being folded inwardly, may be folded outwardly in a narrow edge extending across the front. This edge will catch a slit in the top, such as 65 or 65a.

In FIGURES 4 Vand 5, a typical platform is shown in place. The platform illustrated is designed to dispense coiled cotton which is pulled out progressively through the hole 8-1 in the platform 71 in small tufts, the force necessary to pull a tuft free of the coil being suio'ient to advance the next tuft portion of the coil through the hole. In practice the platform is supported by panels 72 and 87 which preferably conform in shape'to the inside of the panels of the container against which they rest, extending to the container bottom. The panel strips 73, 74, 75 and 76 tend to stabilize the platform. The platform 71 also has flaps 77 and 78 turned down at the rear and front respectively. IIn addition, the platform contains slots 79, 80 and 86 into whicht tongues 82, 83 and S4 of the panels 19, 20 and 21 of FIGURE 3 or as illustrated in FIGURE 4, the tongues- 82a, 83a and 84. 'I'hisinterlocking not only further stabilizes the platform but also retains the inner panels Iof the container opening again-st 'the respective main 'panels'.

The carton sleeve is made by gluing or sealing the vflap 22 to the panel 11 so that edge 62v is parallel to and closely adjacent folded edge 40. In assembling the carton from the sleeve, the following procedure may be carried out:

Opposi-te edges of the sleeve are pressed to open the sleeve. The platform (if any) isinserted platform first Vand front -to front into the bottom of the open sleeve and pushed in until nothing projects beyond the container bottom. In a like manner, the contents are inserted. The bottom is` then closed by turning panel 16 inwardly followed by panels and 17 and finally by panel 18. The

4 bottom is pushed gently in until the bottom panels interlock (which they do automatically) as in FIGURE 2. The container is then set on its bottom and the platform is locked in place by turning in the panels 19, Ztl and 21 or the corresponding panels of FIGURE 4 and inserting the tongues of these panels in the corresponding slots in the platform. Obviously, if there is no platform to lock, the panels are simply turned in and fastened as with a spot of glue. Obviously, also, where no platform is involved, the cartons can be made up and tilled later. In forming the cover, folds are made along fold lines 54 and 5S with the wings being folded in at to panel 26 toward the container opening. VFolds along lines 45, 53 and 58 are then made simultaneously so that the cover skirt is delined and the triangular tabs 30, 31, 33` and 34 project inwardly land lie iiat 'against panel 32 which is now roughly perpendicular to panels 25, 26 and 27. At this point, the inner side skirt panels 24 and 28 are folded over and against panels 25 and 27 respectively with the triangular tabs 63 and 64 iiat against the tabs 30 and 34 respectively and with panels 23 and 29 dat against panel 26. Panel 35 is then folded over panel 32 to lie flat against it so far -as the corner tabs will allow. Panel 36 snaps into place so that its mitered corners abut against kthe mitered corners of panels 23 and 29 or against the corresponding mitered corners of panels such as 23a in FIGURE 4. In other words, where mitered corner panels are used, no `other method of fastening the top is necessary.

Likewise, if a platform is used, 4the entire carton may be assembled from the sleeve and from the platform blank without using any other fastening means than the interlocking of the panels. This feature is conducive to very rapid assembly.

It is to be understood that the cover of the cartons of this invention should be slightly larger than the openings over which they fit. In other words, panel 26 should be slightly larger in width than the tops of panels 12 and 14 and slightly longer than the tops of panels 11 and 13, other panels of the top corresponding. v

It is obvious that cartons of this invention may be made tall or short without departing from the invention. Likewise, the invention is not limited to cartons whose cross-sections are squares. Referring to FIGURES 6 and 7, a schematic representation of the square bottom is shown by the solid lines and dotted lines. Thus, panel 15 is hinged along fold 41; panel 16 is hinged along fold 42; panel 17 is hinged along fold 43 and panel 18 is hinged along fold 44. When the side panels 11 and 12 are increased in width at the base, the fold lines 41 and 43 necessarily are increased in length as the construction lines of FIGURE 6 indicate. This causes alteration in the panels 15, 16, 17 and 18 as indicated by the construction lines. Panel 15 is thus increased in area by the rectangular area 15a and by the triangular area between the dotted line leading to fold 37 and the construction line leading to fold 37a. Similarly, on the other side, panel 17 is increased in area by the rectangular area 17a 4and by the triangular area between the dotted line leading to fold 38 and the construction line leading to fold 38a. With regard to panel 16, it is altered only by moving its hinge fold to 42a and increasing its area by the rectangle 16a. Panel 178 has its hinge fold moved to 44a thus adding an isosceles trapezoidal area adjacent the hinge and removing two triangular areas between dotted line 39 and construction line 39a on one side and between dotted line 40 and construction line 40a on the other.

In a somewhat `similar manner, when front and back panels 12 and 14 are increased in width at the base, the fold lines 42 and 44 are necessarily increased in length as the construction lines of FIGURE 7 indicate. The hinges for side panels 15 and 17 are thus indicated as at 41b and 436, respectively. The slanting edge of panel 15 as represented by the dotted line leading to fold 37 is altered to that represented by the construction line leading to fold 37b. Likewise, the slanting edge of panel 17 as represented by the dotted line leading to fold 'Sii is modied to that represented by the construction line leading to fold 38b. At the opposite end of these side panels and 17, the panels meet the hinge at an angle of 90 degrees, the areas 15b and 17h being added. In the construction represented by this figure, the panel 16 has an added rectangular area 16h added at each side extending from the hinge line 42 the full length of the panel. Panel 18 by this construction has, added to it, a triangular portion 1Sb between the dotted line leading to fold 39' and the construction line leading to fold 39h. A similar triangle is added at the other side between the dotted line leading to fold 40 and the construction line leading to fold 4Gb.

In addition to the Variations illustrated in FIGURES 6 and 7, the tops of the panels may be similarly varied. it is essential, however, that when the blank is folded along line 38 or alternately along lines 37 and 39 that edge 62 be parallel to land closely adjacent fold 40 in order that the sleeve may be in flat form when it is made up from the blank. It thus becomes apparent that the two side panels may be rectangular while the front and back panels are isosceles trapezoids in which case the carton would have vertical front and back walls and sloping side walls or the reverse might be true with the front and back panels rectangular and sloping and the side panels vertical isosceles trapezoids. Obviously, the cover main panel and its auxiliary panels must ybe adjusted in size accordingly as will be readily apparent. The main cover panel 26 should always be substantially square or rectangular with the side edges slightly larger than the top edges of panels 11 and 13 and with the top and bottom edges slightly larger than the top edges of panels 12 and 14.

For purposes of this invention, isosceles trapezoidal panels or shapes are dened as those having the shape of a quadrilateral, two of whose sides are parallel and the other two of which are equal in length. By this deiinition, it is intended to include parallelograms, rectangles and squares as special forms of isosceles trapezoids as well as isosceles trapezoids in which the parallel sides are unequal in length.

Likewise, for purposes of this invention, the term rectangle is dened as a parallelogram whose angles are right angles. Hence, right-angled parallelograms whose sides are equal and constitute a square as well as parallelogr-ams whose adjacent sides are not equal are included.

I claim:

l. An integral carton comprising a cut and scored iblank of lfour main panels at least two alternate main panels varying in width from top to bottom, two of said main panels having similar isosceles trapezoidal shapes constituting opposite side panels, a front panel and a back panel having similar isosceles trapezoidal shapes separated in the blank =by one of said side panels, an outer of said main panels having a longitudinal scored edge in comm-on with a fastening flap, means lfastening said ap to the outer longitudinal edge of the other outer main panel to form a flat sleeve, the outer longitudinal edges of said outer panels lbeing substantially parallel and in close proximity, said sleeve being expandable to ya four-sided tube whose walls are -said main panels, bottom edges of said main panels being in a common plane when said tube is open, tab panels, each having a scored edge in common with the bottom edge of one of said main panels, constituting, when interconnected, an interlocking bottom, a cover for said tube comprising a main cover panel and integral therewith three pairs of auxiliary Vcover panels constituting inner and outer paired panels of a depending skirt extending from said main cover panel on three sides thereof, said .main cover panel having in common with the top edge of said main back panel, a scored edge constituting a hinge for said cover, each outer auxiliary panel of said skirt having a scored edge in common with said main cover panel and a scored edge in common with its respective paired inner panel, said latter scored edges constituting the exterior edge fold of said skirt when said cover is assembled, auxiliary paired cover panels of said skirt projecting to cover top edge portions of the front main panel being rectangular, auxiliary paired cover panels projecting to cover top edge portions of the respective side main panels being substantially triangular and sloping toward the hinge of said cover, the outer rectangular auxiliary panel Ibeing joined with the outer triangular panel on each side by an integral gusset unfolded between inner and outer auxiliary cover panels.

2. The carton of claim 1 wherein the front main panel and the rectangular inner auxiliary cover panel have substantially horizontal slits therein which are so positioned that when the cover is closed the edges of the -slits interlock.

3. The carton of claim 1 wherein the front and side main panels have top edges in common with the scored edges of tab panels which enfold to provide folded edges around the top of said tube.

4. The carton of claim l wherein the rectangular inner auxiliary -cover panel has a scored line in common with an isosceles trapezoidal-shaped panel whose non-parallel equal ends make internal angles of 45 with said score line and wherein the substantially triangular auxiliary side cover panels also have scored lines in common with parallel-sided panels having inclined front ends which make internal angles of 45 with their respective scored lines, said panels with 45 ends constituting locking panels which lie flat against the main cover panel with the 45 ends of the side panels abutting the 45 ends of the other such panel whereby said cover may be assembled Without other fastening means.

5. The carton of claim 1 wherein the carton is of paperboard.

6. The carton of claim l wherein the bottom is substantially square.

7. A carton, readily assemblable from a longitudinally seamed flat sleeve, comprising `an interlocking bottom of the snap assembly type, walls upstanding from said bottom constituting the front panel, opposing side panels and the back panel of said carton, `at least two of the opposite walls of said carton making internal angles less than with said bottom and a quadrilaterally-shaped cover integrally hinged to said back panel and having a depending skirt on three sides extending to cover edge portions of said front and side panels when said cover is closed, a unitary U-shaped insert positioned within said carton including a nat `dispensing platform whose periphery is closely adjacent the carton interior when the platform is in operating position, and a planar support member having a bottom edge #contacting said carton bottom and projecting downwardly from each of two opposite sides of said platform, the front and side panels of said carton having top edges in common 'with scored edges of tabs which vfold inwardly and are held in place by projecting through slits in the edge of said platform.

References Cited in the iile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,811,074 Butler .lune 23, 1931 2,015,653 Andrews Oct. 1, 1935 2,017,176 Andrew-s Oct. 15, 1935 2,523,250 Pantalone Sept. 19, 1950 

7. A CARTON, READILY ASSEMBLABLE FROM A LONGITUDINALLY SEAMED FLAT SLEEVE, COMPRISING AN INTERLOCKING BOTTOM OF THE SNAP ASSEMBLY TYPE, WALLS UPSTANDING FROM SAID BOTTOM CONSTITUTING THE FRONT PANEL, OPPOSING SIDE PANELS AND THE BACK PANEL OF SAID CARTON, AT LEAST TWO OF THE OPPOSITE WALLS OF SAID CARTON MAKING INTERNAL ANGLES LESS THAN 90* WITH SAID BOTTOM AND A QUADRILATERALLY-SHAPED COVER INTEGRALLY HINGED TO SAID BACK PANEL AND HAVING A DEPENDING SKIRT ON THREE SIDES EXTENDING TO COVER EDGE PORTIONS OF SAID FRONT AND SIDE PANELS WHEN SAID COVER IS CLOSED, A UNITARY U-SHAPED INSERT POSITIONED WITHIN SAID CARTON INCLUDING A FLAT DISPENSING PLATFORM WHOSE PERIPHERY IS CLOSELY ADJACENT THE CARTON INTERIOR WHEN THE PLATFORM IS IN OPERATING POSITION, AND A PLANAR SUPPORT MEMBER HAVING A BOTTOM EDGE CONTACTING SAID CARTON BOTTOM AND PROJECTING DOWNWARDLY FROM EACH OF TWO OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID PLATFORM, THE FRONT AND SIDE PANELS OF SAID 